“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is
not his own;
it is not for man to direct his steps.”
(Jeremiah 10:23 NIV)
Proverbs reminds me in chapter 16 that I can plan my daily course, and even my life’s path, but my heavenly Father will determine each step along the way. The steps, the minute details are in the hands of my God. He gives me the vision, then lays out the steps before me. I dare not wander away. I will stay close to Jesus today. I hope you will, too!
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience.”
(Colossians 3:12 NIV)
What is the main purpose of a dress or slacks and a shirt? I like to think it is a cover, something for my true appearance to hide behind. What can compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience cover up? What nastiness in my heart needs to be camouflaged behind holiness? Only the Holy Spirit can clothe me in a way that glorifies my Lord. I will put on the clothes of the Spirit today. I hope you will, too!
by Macy Johnson
“As the toes were partly iron and
partly clay,
so this kingdom will be
partly strong and partly brittle.”
(Daniel 2:42 NIV)
Jeff, my
husband, and I relaxed in our rocking chairs on the porch early one Saturday
morning. Storms had passed in the night and water dripped from the trees in a
pitter-pat rhythm. Hummingbirds flitted around the lantana and salvia bushes,
back and forth, to and from our feeders full of nectar.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and
knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the
door,
I will come in and eat with him, and he
with me.”
(Revelation 3:20 NIV)
Oh, the sovereignty of God! There is a sweet peace when I think of Jesus coming to me. I cannot save myself. In fact, I have pushed the Holy Spirit away too many times to count. He never gives up. He pursues those He loves. I will listen for His knock and ask Him to live in my heart. I hope you will, too!
“We demolish arguments and every
pretension
that sets itself up against the
knowledge of God,
and we take captive every thought
to make it obedient to Christ.”
(2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)
“What was I thinking?” I ask myself several times a day. Thoughts are not random, as I once thought, but babies birthed from my heart. I should be asking, “What is in my heart?” Paul instructed the church at Corinth to capture every thought for Christ. I will try very hard to do just that. I hope you will, too!
“Because through Christ Jesus the law
of the Spirit of life
set me free from the law of sin and
death.”
(Romans 8:2 NIV)
One of my favorite gospel songs
is “He Set Me Free”:
Once like a bird in prison I dwelt
No freedom from sorrow I felt
But Jesus came and listened to me
And Glory to God, He set me free!
“This is what the Lord says:
‘Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in
it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
(Jeremiah 6:16 NIV)
Jesus quoted this passage from Jeremiah in Matthew 11. The tried and true ways of Judah’s ancestors would have led God’s children back to Him. But they thought they knew better than the Creator of the Universe. Sounds familiar to me! I will walk on the ancient paths. I hope you will, too!
